Tractor



C, KNOTI.

TRACTOR. LSILE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5. I9i.

Fatented May 259 IIIZ.,

C. KNOTT.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION man nac. 5, ww.

mented May 25% L92@ 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. KNOTT.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED Dc.5,1917.

C. KNOTT.

TRACTOR.

APPMCATION FILED Dac. 5. 1917.

atened May 25, 19226.,

C. KNOTT.

TRACTOR.

APPucAUoN FILED DEC. 5,4191?.

1,341,428, Patented May 25,1920..

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Ci KNOTT.

TRACTOR.

APPLfcATloM man DEC. s, 1917.

Patente May 25, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHE`ET 6.

unirse stares Partnr lorries.

CHARLES KNOTT, 0F NEW' MADRID, MISSOURI.

TRACTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.`

Patented May 25, 1920.

Application filed December 5, 1917. Serial No.. 205,644.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Cuantas KNOTT, of

VNew Madrid, in the county of New Madrid and State of Missouri, have invented certainnevv `and useful Improvements in Tractors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and' exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appersteering machinery, coacting guide tracks,

anendless belt of ground engaging trucks operated by the motor on the platform, and relatively stiff guide rails adapted to be deflected laterally by powerful mechanism, to steer the apparatus and cause it to turn or to move along curved lines. The rails possess su'llicient rigidity to hold the Ibody in proper place on the ties, but yield to the force exerted by the deilecting mechanism, and automatically return to normal position when the force is removed.

In the drawings, Figure 'l is a side view of the front portion of the apparatus; Fig. 2 .is a perspective detail of a portion of the brake mechanism; Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of a portion of the coupling devices between the trucks; Fig. 4 is a rear elevation on an enlarged scale; Fig. 5 is an elevation on an enlarged scale illustrating `the construction of one of the trucks, and its attaching means; Fig. 6 represents parts of one of the truck attaching' means, in perspective; Fig. 7 is a plan view illustrating the arrangement of the steering apparatus; Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the resilient rails; F ig. 9 is a plan view of the rear portion illustrating. modifications in the construction; Fig. 10 shows perspective dotails of the construction of portions of the modiied arrangement of Fig. 9: Fig. 1l is a sectional detail ofthe guide-track; Fig.`

12 is a plan view of portions ofthe modified structure shown 1n Figs. 9- and 10: Fig. 13

is an enlarged detail of portions of the apparatus shown in Fig. 10.

The apparatus comprises a base or supporting frame, including a lower platform 10, upper platrorm 11, and connectingstruts or braces 12, the portions 10-11 being inl spaced relation and thus providing storage space for the engine, fuel tanks, freight, etc.,

Extending longitudinally of the frame is a lower rail 13 and an upper rail 14, the rails being preferably sections of light gage railway rails. The. rails lS-lfl are attached, at l5-l6, to the platforms .l0-l1 which holdv the rails from movement laterally relatively to the platforms but permit4 slivht' endwise. movement.

lonnected to the platforms 10-11 by the ends of the rails and, the pivoted posts 43-44 are end members, which have two pairs of tracks, .one pair near each side.

One track 17 of cach vpair is symmetrically curved at the front end and of eccentric eoA curvature at the rear end, and the otherv track 18 of each pair is curved eccentrioally at the front end and symmetrically at the rear end, each shorter portion having an inwardly curving or eccentric section 19 to space the ties uniformly as they engage or leave the ground.

Mounted for movement lon the tracks 17e-1S and guide rails lf3- M is a plurality of carriers or trucks each comprising a support 2O carrying two hearing pulleys Ql--Q'Z adaptedto bear respectively against the tracks 1?-18 and platforms 10;-11., The supports 2O are arranged in opposite pairs and connected by beam 23. Coupled to each beam are leaf springs 24e-Q5, the springs in turn beingcoupled to lower lcafsprings 26h27 by double laterally swinging link hinges QGwQT, the hinges permittingof the changing relation of the guide rails to the ties Q8 when making a turn. The springs 26-27 are coupled to the ties 28 which constitute the. tread surfaces. i

Check chains 29 are shown connected to the beams 2S and ties 2S to prevent ex ^`cssive spreading 'when the tic is fi Le of the ground. Mounted centrally on am ofthe beams 23 is a base member 30 which. supports guide rollers 31-32 bearing against each side of the rails 'i3-14.

The supports 30 are recessed between the bearings of the rollers 3l-3Q, and,exten.d ing through these recesses is a jointed member formed of a plurality of relatively long links 33 pivotally united at 34, thus forming an endless chain-likestructure. Each of catedto the wheel 36 and thence transmitted thel members is coupled to one of the liks\to the chain device 33 to which the ties or 33 by straps or hounds' 35. The` pivots 34 are extended laterally as shown in'Fig. 3 for engaging the driving wheel 36.

The driving wheel is mounted for rotation upon the rear framework of the apparatus, a portion of it being shown at 36 in Figs. 2, 4, and 7 ,the wheel having a peripheral chan nel 37 to receive-the links 33 of the chain and with transverse recesses 38 to receive' the projecting pivots 34`and thus assist in advancing the .chain when the wheel is revolv'ed. Thefrotating wheel 36 is-also provided withplargerrecesses .39 at intervals to receive therollers 31-32- as the chain is rotated.

The steering'mechanism'is illustrated in Fig. 7 'and includes supplemental front and rearl platforms, the rear one of which `is rrepresented at 40, and shown pivotally supportedatj 44 to the framework, with the rails 1314 coupled thereto, so that as the platform is oscilla-ted the rails will be deflected laterally; Y

I At the forward end of the apparatus, supporting frames, one of which is represented at' 42, are fastenedI at their rear converging ends to the pivoted'post 43 and at their forward diverging ends to the tracks 1,7-18. z Mounted upon the rear 'platform 40 is a winding drum 46. from which pull cables 47 lead over vguide pulleys 48 and 49 and thence around guide pulleys 50 on the front swinging frame and back to the platform to which they are attached at 51. The cables 47 pass through guide. devices on the platform 10 and one is provided-witha turn buckle, represented at.52, to `control the tension.

'The motor, indicated at 53, is coupled by suitable gearing to drive the wheel 36.

A suitable,l brake mechanism is attached tothe'rear platform 40, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and comprises -standards 54--55, and attaching members '56-'57 connecting the members 54-55 to the platform. The 'attaching members are`resilient, and hold the side faces of the wheel 36. Pivoted at 58 are straps 59-60, the latter extending in advance of the standard 54. Pivoted at 61 between the free ends of the straps 59-60 is abell crank lever62 having a bearing roller 63` in one of itsarms adapted to bear againstthe standard-54. Brake shoes 64-65 are attached to the confrontinge facesof theV -the bars-65 to'tlie beams-23 ground engaging members 28 are coupled through the medium of the springs 24-26, the beams 23,. the blocks 30 and the straps 35, the larger recesses 39 clearing the bearing rollers 31--32 and the smaller recesses 38 engaging the projecting portions of the in contact with the tracks 17, or the body` 10-11 while the rollers 22 run continuously in contact ivith the frame 10-11 or over the tracks 18'.

As the bearing ties 28 successively engage the ground, the'eccentric sections 19 of the tracks permit the trucks to tilt so as to give vtheA ties equal spacing when the machine is loaded or when runnlng over uneven ground. An operating wheel 64 1s connected to the winding drum 46. To change thel direction of the apparatus, the steering wheel is operated to cause the pull cables 47 to move the yoke frame. 42, carrying the tracks 17- 18, laterally against theresistance of the rails 13-14 and thus deflect the latter to the right or left and cause the ties 28 and their attachments as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 7 When the winding drum 46 is released, the resiliency of the.

rails 13-14 cause them to return -to no rmal position and restores the parts associated therewith to 'correspondingly normal position.

notchedl bars l65 for the links 33 and the pins 34, and substituting gear wheel 66I for the wheel 36 to engage the notchesv of the bars. In this modified arrangement, in ad- .dition to the hinged center connection, brace.

rods or hounds`67 are employed to connect v te hold themin positive alinement. e .M

- In the' modified structure, the largepower wheel 365is dispensed with andthe tracks 17 -18 only depended onv to. cari;y the'. belt small gear 66 only'being employed., to engage the notches of lthe members 65- to ac tuate the belt.

A roller 68 will be arranged to bear In Figs. 9 to 12, modifications in the con-4 struction of'certain parts are illustrated. These consist principally in 4substituting,

v rollers 31-32 to correspondingly deliect the against the members G5 as they are moved past the gear 6G, to hed the gear and bars in operative engagement.

The shaft (39 on which the gear is keyed, is operated by a motor 70 and is pro- .'ded with a band brake 7l.. i

The platform l0 may be iliade with a water-tight body so that it can cross bodies of water, the movement olf the Vtrucks through the water furnishing the propelling power and steering by means et the turning;` ends of the machine.

Vv'hile I prefer to use the springs shown between lbe transverse beams Q23 and the ties 28, especially lor heavy tractors, yet these sinings and ties ina-y be omitted and the transverse beams alone constitute the traid surl'aces, without departing from the spirit trucks having supports inchlding; pulleys,

beams connecting opposite pairs ol' supports, and a chain drive connected with said beam. at their centers. v

In a tractor, a plurality of ties having,` transverse beams, guide rollers on said b wams, a chain drive movable between said rollers comprising,v links pivotally con- .pee'ted together, and means lor advancing said chain.

and rollers thereon, and a chain connecting and advancing said ties, said chain haring links, and pivot pins connecting said links, of a drive wlieel'for operating said chain, said wheel having` a peripheral channel 'to receive said links, a series of transverse `grooves to receive said pivot pins, and see-- ond series o'lE transverse grooves to receive said rollers.

5. ln a tractor', a series ot trin'flif, each ot' said trucks having a cross-beam, a pair ol leal' springs secured to the undersides of each -ol' said beams, a second pair el? leal' springs, a. tie secured to said end pair el? springs and pivoted linlrs connect irreY the two pairs ot springs.

C. ln a tractor, a series ot trucks, each et said trucks having; a cross-beam, a pair of leaiC springs secured to the under-sides ei each ol' said beams, a second pail olf leaf spring". a tie secured to said second pair olf' springs. pivoted links connecting the two pairs ol' springs, and check chains connecting said beams to said ties to limit the movement ot the latter.

T. lin a tractor, a body having- 'l'ront and rear plat forms. a rail connecting said plat lornis and body, and means lor swinging` said platl'orms to steer the vehicle, said rail being resilient to contorni `to the mirvatnre described by the platforms in turning'.

8. ln a tractor, a series of trucks, each oil' said trucks having a cross beam, a pair o'l leaf springs secured to the urulersides oli each of said bea-ms, a second pair ol leali springs, a tie secured to said second pair oi" springs, and swinging connections l :tween the two pairs of springs.

In testimony whereof I have signml this specification.

Clrlllllall l ll l'l, 

